Protect Your Basement From Flood Damage

Take your time when pumping out your basement after a flood.

“No matter the type of basement wall construction, if the
basement is flooded with more than 6 inches of water, you could cause more
damage by pumping the water out too soon than by letting it remain,” warns
North Dakota State University agricultural engineer Tom Scherer.

If you pump the water out too quickly, the floor may push up
and walls cave in. Water in the basement helps brace the walls against the
pressure of water-logged soils outside the home. Also, don’t pump water out
until the floodwaters around your house recede.

He recommends removing about 2 to 3 feet of water, then
watching for signs of structural failure before pumping out more water. Scherer
says that if you don’t find problems, then pump about a third of the water each
day, making sure you pump it well away from the house.

“Don’t rush the pumping because the soil may be very slow to
drain,” Hellevang says. “Whatever is submerged in the basement will not be
damaged further by delaying the pumping.”

If water is leaking into your basement but your sump pump
can keep up with it, you may want to brace or shore up the walls if they are
cracked, out of plump or bulging, Scherer says. Unbraced block-construction
walls are especially vulnerable.

Use long poles 6 inches or more in diameter to hold walls
apart horizontally. A screw jack between one wall and the end of a pole can put
equal pressure on both walls.

Several braces may be necessary, depending on the length and
condition of the walls. Scherer suggests using one brace about every 10 feet of
wall length about 4 feet up the wall from the floor. Also use a continuous
piece of timber or other material between the poles and wall to prevent the
poles from puncturing the wall.